Cartons



United States Patent 3,214,075 CARTONS Charles L. Champlin, Rittman, and John L. Funke, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to PKG Corporation, Evanston, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,408 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to cartons, and it has particular reference to a carton provided with an enclosure, preferably in the form of an envelope or pocket, for the reception, concealment and sealing-in of an advertising card or similar medium such, especially, as a discount coupon.

In merchadnising practices now somewhat broadly prevalent, one advertising expedient relied on is to enclose with the packaged commodity, or to attach to the package, a discount coupon which may be cashed in by a customer against the selling price of a subsequently purchased package of the same commodity, or a different commodity produced by the same manufacturer, thus serving, in the anticipation of the manufacturer, to increase the sale of his product or products.

In order for such a potential sales-stimulating practice to be effective, the enclosure or attachment of the discount coupon carried by the package must be brought directly to the notice of prospective purchasers, and one of the most effective ways in which this can be done is by some medium which is directly associated with the package, such as display lettering or, more effectively, from a change in the form or other physical characteristics of the package from What is customary.

It has been found in the retail trade that when such coupon-carrying packages are offered for sale without direct supervision of a salesman, as, for example, in supermarkets or the like sales outlets where the free handling by shoppers of merchandise in open serveself shelf or bin displays is the custom, dishonest shoppers will often surreptitiously remove and sequester coupons from packages which they do not purchase, thus in effect perpetrating a fraud upon honest, but unobservant, subsequent purchasers of packages that have been thus tampered with, and ultimately upon the producer of the packaged commodity.

One object of the present invention is to provide a carton package having provision for carrying a coupon, advertising member or the like in such a manner, and by such means, that its presence will be impressed upon prospective purchasers, this being accomplished in accordance with the invention by the provision of couponcarrying means which will not change major physical characteristics of the package from what the purchaser has become accustomed to see, but which will be of an attention-attracting nature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton having such provision for the accommodation of a discount coupon, or other sales-stimulating or advertising medium, that it cannot be readily removed or detached from the package by a dishonest shopper, thus serving as a deterrent to pilfering for fear of detection, while at the same time enabling a prospective actual purchaser not only to readily observe that the package has been tampered with, or the coupon removed, but also to readily remove the coupon after purchase of the package has been made.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in an integral folding carton blank, a receptacle for the packaged commodity and an envelope or pocket enclosure for the coupon or other advertising medium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton having, as integral parts of its blank, panel means for forming the said envelope or pocket enclosure, and

which carton may be furnished by the carton manufacturer to the packager in completed, flat-folded condition with the coupon or the like enclosed and sealed in the said envelope or pocket enclosure and completely isolated from the commodity-receiving interior of the carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton blank including panel means for furnishing the aforesaid envelope or pocket enclosure, the parts of which blank may be so manipulated by conventional machinery as to fold and glue the carton parts to enclose and seal the coupon or the like within the envelope or pocket forming panels and fold and glue the carton walls, all in fiat-folded condition.

A still further object of the invention is to so form one of the envelope or pocket forming panels as to facilitate the application of adhesive thereto by a conventional glue roll of continuous application type without possibility of inadvertent presence of adhesive on panel areas which might contact the enclosed coupon or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide the coupon enclosing panel means with an inspection opening or peep hole through which presence of the coupon may be verified or its absence detected, and with frangible means by which the envelope or pocket may be opened for removal of the coupon.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, as will be apparent from the following detailed description, the invention comprises a carton having a body for the reception of a commodity to be packaged and means for containing a coupon or other advertising medium or the like joined to the body and provided with means affording access to the coupon or the like; and the invention comprises, further, the blank for producing such carton, and its envelope or pocket, which may be flat-folded and glued, with inclusion of the enveloping or pocketing of the coupon or the like, in a conventional folding and gluing operation, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inner face of a blank of suitable sheet material, such as paperboard, for forming the carton of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the advertising member, coupon or the like properly positioned on the blank preliminary to making the first assembly fold, areas of one of the coupon envelope forming panels being stippled to indicate the application of adhesive thereto,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the first fold completed and the coupon sealed within the envelope or pocket,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the second fold completed, an area of one of the thus folded carton side wall panels of the blank being stippled to indicate the application of adhesive thereto,

FIG. 5 is an exterior view of the completely folded and glued blank as seen after the parts to the right of FIG. 4 are folded over upon the parts to the left thereof and secured by the adhesive indicated by the stippled area on the aforementioned carton side wall,

FIG. 6 is an exterior view of the completely folded and glued blank as seen from the side opposite that shown in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of the squared-up carton with the end closure flaps open at one end and closed at the other, and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but with the carton rotated on its vertical axis through an angle of Having reference to FIG. I, particularly, it will be seen that the carton blank includes, as integers, side walls 1, 2, 3 and 4, and a broad glue flap 5, these walls and the flap being defined from each other by respective folding scores 6, 7, 8 and 9. The side walls 2 and 4 are provided at their opposite ends with end flaps 10 and 11, foldable on scores 12 and 13, respectively, and appropriately edge-contoured for effective cooperation with the flap-closing mechanism of a carton filling and closing machine and for locking engagement with the conventional slits 14 of tuck flaps 15 carried by the end closure flaps 16 foldable on scores 17 by which they are joined to the ends of the side Wall 1. Obviously, other types of end closure flaps may be substituted for those disclosed without departing from the basic concept of the invention.

Connected with the outer edge of the side wall 1, and olfstanding therefrom, are envelope or pocket enclosure forming panels 18 and 19 defined from each other by, and relatively flat foldable upon, a folding score 20. As will be apparent from the showing particularly of FIGS. 1 to 4, the panel 19 extends outwardly from the folding score 20 a distance substantially equal to the distance between the folding scores 20 and 6, and its free outer edge is provided with an inward relief 21 which, between its longitudinal termini 22, is of somewhat greater length than the length of the coupon or the like C.

Also, the envelope or pocket panel enclosures 18 and 19, for an equal distance laterally of the folding score 20, are preferably, though not necessarily, of less length than the length of the side walls 1 and 4, as shown between the edge cuts 23 and 24. Thus, the panel is provided with ears 25 which can be adhesively secured to the ultimately juxtaposed areas of the side wall 1. Moreover, the shortening of such portionsof these panels 18 and 19, and the consequent shortening of the ultimately outwardly projecting envelope or pocket enclosure from the squared-up carton (FIGS. 7 and 8), serve to assist in the cartoning operation on certain types of cartoning machines, particularly those in which the cartons are disposed transversely of their direction of travel and the lugs of the feed chains or conveyors must engage the carton walls.

The advertising member, coupon or the like, C will be only of such a length, less than the length of the panels 18 and 19 as determined by the edge cuts 23 and 24, that it will lie within theareas of, and be concealed by, those portions of the said panels, as will be apparent from the showing of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The side wall 1 is provided with an inspection opening or peep hole 26 in an area ultimately juxtaposed to the coupon or the like C through which the presence of the coupon or the like may be verified, or its absence detected, and one of the envelope or pocket enclosure panels, preferably the panel 18, is provided with a frangible portion 27 formed by series of spaced cut scores 28 as a rip strip upon the removal of which the envelope or pocket enclosure may be opened for access to, and removal of, the coupon or the like. It will be noted that one end of this rip strip is formed with divergent cuts 29 to provide a convenient finger grip 30.

Preferably the ultimate outer faces of both of the envelope or pocket enclosure forming panels 18 and 19 bear indicia to call attention to the enclosed coupon or the like, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 to 7.

As is customary in folded blank cartons, the glue flap 5 is of a length to fall within the lines of the folding scores 12, 13 and 17 so as not to interfere with proper folded assembly of the end flaps 10, 11 and 16, and the cars 25 are similarly shortened to the same end.

As previously indicated, the flat-folding and gluing of the blank and, in proper consonance therewith, the delivery and positioning of a coupon or the like C, are capable of performance on conventional types of folding and gluing machines, it being understood that the blank will preferably travel through such machines in a direc- 4 tion aligned with the length of the side walls so that the folding plows or like mechanisms and the glue applicators may function most efficiently.

Having reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 it will be understood that the first steps are the delivery and positioning of the coupon or the like C, and the application of adhesive to the areas of the ears 25 indicated by stippling in FIG. 2.

Regarding this application of adhesive to the cars 25, it will be appreciated that, as hereinbefore indicated, it may be applied by a non-timed, continuously functioning roll applicator in stripe form, but, due to the presence of the relief 21 the ends 22 of which lie outside the area of the properly positioned coupon or the like, no adhesive will be present on areas of the envelope or pocket panel 19, which, when this panel is next folded over against and secured to the side wall 1, are in contact with such coupon or the like.

As just indicated, the next step is the folding of the envelope or pocket panel 19, with adhesive applied thereto, upon the folding score 20 over the coupon or the like C and flat against it and against the panel 18 and the side wall 1, to which side wall it is secured by the adhesive carried by the ears 25, see FIG. 3.

During further folding and gluing manipulation of the blank the coupon or the like cannot escape from the envelope or pocket formed by the side wall 1 and the panels 18 and 19. It is blocked against movement longitudinally of the envelope or pocket enclosure by the secured ears 25, and friction between it and the side wall 1 and panels 18 and 19, which are in flat-folded juxtaposition to it, will prevent its escape through the opening formed at the relief 21.

Next, the side wall 4 and the glue flap 5 are folded, upon the score 8, flat against the side walls 3 and 2 (FIG. 4), with adhesive applied to the stippled area of the glue flap 5, preferably simultaneously with the application of adhesive to the ears 25, and hence before such folding.

Then, as the final folding and gluing step, the assembled envelope or pocket enclosure and the side wall 1 secured thereto, and the folded glue flap 5 and attached side Walls 4, 3 and 2, are folded into juxtaposition upon the folding score 6, thus bringing the envelope or pocket panel 19 fiat against the glue flap 5, in which condition it is aflixed by the stripe of adhesive on the glue flap, see FIGS. 5 and 6.

In this connection it will be noted (FIG. 4) that the stripe of adhesive applied to the glue flap 5 is so located thereon that it engages, and adheres to, that area of the envelope or pocket panel 19 which is to the right (FIG. 4) of the longitudinal edge of the relief 21. Thus, although adhesion between the panel 19 and the glue flap 5 from end to end thereof is obtained, no adhesive will reach the surface of the coupon or the like C exposed in the opening formed by such relief 21.

It will be apparent, also, by reference particularly to FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, that the full panel width of the glue flap 5 serves to completely isolate the coupon or the like C from the interior of the carton.

Having reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be seen that the filled and closed carton will have an eye-catching, coupon accommodating envelope or pocket enclosure 18-19 projecting outwardly from the side wall 4, but will, nevertheless, preserve many of the familiar and valuable characteristics of the carton. Furthermore, the indicia provided on the panels 18 and 19 will readily call attention to the presence of the coupon or the like within the envelope or pocket enclosure.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be: within the principle of the invention and the scope of. the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a display package, a cart-on including a removable advertising member, said carton including in an integral blank a foldable body erectable to tube, form for accommodating a commodity and said blank also including display means, said display means comprising two panel elements of greater area than the area of said advertising member and disposed in fiace-to-face relation and projecting outwardly from a side wall of the carton, said panel elements providing between them a pocketlike enclosure for said advertising member inaccessible from the tubular interior of said carton, one of said panel elements being provided with frangible means for affording access from the exterior of said display means to the advertising member disposed within said enclosure, whereby access to the enclosure and the advertising member therein can be obtained only by destruction of a portion of the carton, to thus guard the package against obvious tampering.

2. A carton as defined in claim 1, in which one of Said panel elements is provided with an aperture serving to expose a portion of the advertising member within said enclosure.

3. A carton as defined in claim 1, in which said display means otfstand from a side wall of said body and are of less length than the said side wall and are disposed substantially medially of the length of said side wall to thus provide wall portions of the carton extending endwise thereof outwardly with respect to opposite edges of said panel members.

4. A carton blank of sheet material such as paperboard, provided with cuts and folding scores defining substantially centrally longitudinally of the blank a series of four side walls, closure flaps carried at the ends of certain of said side walls, a flap connected to the side wall at one end of said series, and a complemental pair of panels extending from the side wall at the opposite end of said series, said panels being relatively foldable of the longitudinally outermost of said panels being provided with a relief which serves to substantially span said enclosure and provide spaced ear means for securing it, when said panels are thus relatively folded, to the side wall vfrom which said panels extend and outside the zone of said enclosure, and said flap being adapted for attachment to said thus disposed outermost panel to thus form a flat-folded carton body with the said enclosure ofistanding from one of said side walls.

5. A carton blank as defined in claim 4, in which said flap is of an area sufficient to cover said relief when the said flap is attached to said outermost panel.

6. A carton blank as defined in claim 4, in which one of said panels is provided with means defining a line of fracture.

7. A carton blank as defined in claim 4, in which one of the panels is provided with an inspection aperture serving to expose the interior of the enclosure.

8. A carton blank as defined in claim 4, in which the length of each of said panels is less than the length of the side wall from which the panels offstand, and said panels are disposed substantially medially of the length of said side wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,116,043 11/14 Elliott 22938 1,915,341 6/33 Walker 22927 X 2,301,618 11/42 Curtis 22937 2,469,343 5/49 Seewert 22927 X 2,967,010 1/ 61 Cutfey 22951 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,907 9/52 Switzerland.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DISPLAY PACKAGE, A CARTON INCLUDING A REMOVABLE ADVERTISING MEMBER, SAID CARTON INCLUDING IN AN INTEGRAL BLANK A FOLDABLE BODY ERECTABLE TO TUBE FORM FOR ACCOMMODATING A COMMODITY AND SAID BLANK ALSO INCLUDING DISPLAY MEANS, SAID DISPLAY MEANS COMPRISING TWO PANEL ELEMENTS OF GREATER AREA THAN THE AREA OF SAID ADVERTISING MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN FACE-TO-FACE RELATION AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM A SIDE WALL OF THE CARTON, SAID PANEL ELEMENTS PROVIDING BETWEEN THEM A POCKETLIKE ENCLOSURE FOR SAID ADVERTISING MEMBER INACCESSIBLE FROM THE TUBULAR INTERIOR OF SAID CARTON, ONE OF SAID PANEL 